Marketing Feature: Augmented reality brings out the best in all worlds

It wasn’t that long ago people were wowed by smartphone apps that could scan bar codes and pay for items with a single tap. That excitement will soon be eclipsed by the advent of augmented reality (AR) in the consumer world.

For the uninitiated, AR is a concept that has been in various stages of incubation for decades. From military experiments to gaming and advertising, AR has been considered more of a novelty item that was more science fiction than fact.

In simple terms, AR apps serve as bridges that connect the physical world to the virtual one. With AR, pictures, text, links and video content can be superimposed over an image of a physical location, magazine page or computer screen to provide information, trigger reactions or simply enrich the user experience.

Technology and media author and former Nokia executive, Tomi Ahonen contends that augmented reality is the eighth mass media – a designation only bestowed on technologies that have dramatically changed the way humans communicate and interact.

Given that AR has been in the making for years, what has raised it into the mass media ranks today? It’s a matter of mobile technology advancement and a growing population of users that can navigate mobile devices with ease.

It’s only in recent years that smartphones have packed enough computing power to run AR apps that turn the everyday world – from street scenes to print pages – into a fully interactive digital experience. With that leap, this medium is on track to becoming an everyday experience.

Another major breakthrough has been Amsterdam-based Layar’s launch of the first AR browser in 2009. Using a combination of GPS, compass and recognition algorithms, this easily downloaded capability allows users to link, like, share and buy items simply by pointing their devices at an object or page.

AR browsing as it is today started out “in the streets” in The Netherlands, where a growing number of people have been using their phones to pull up maps based on their location, find cash machines, virtually browse through art exhibitions, pull up vital statistics on properties for sale or rent, and purchase products, among other nifty ideas. The latest stage has been taking that enriched digital experience to the printed page.

Perhaps Ahonen states it best when he likens AR to “magical binoculars, not making things bigger, but showing you something that doesn’t’ exist anymore, or hasn’t been built yet, or showing action where there is none, etc.” For example, AR versions of the Berlin Wall, the twin towers, and historical battle re-enactments have been recreated that can be viewed and/or photographed through a mobile device.

Where AR will take us next is yet to be seen. But one thing is certain; it promises to be a sight to behold.

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Marketing Feature: Augmented reality brings out the best in all worlds

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